Summary
A parent grapples with teaching their child about the concept of God, challenging traditional religious views by asserting that God is a woman and confronting the idea that religion is the source of many societal ills.
Abstract
The author addresses the complexities of teaching their son about God, questioning the origins of his curiosity. They express a critical view of religion, attributing it as the source of various evils in the world, and challenge the patriarchal image of God as an old man. The author reveals their struggle to communicate the non-existence of God to their son, ultimately resorting to the notion that God is a woman. This stance is a response to the author's belief that their spouse, the child's father, uses the concept of God to instill in their son a sense of authority and power, mirroring the father's own desire for adoration and obedience. The article concludes with the author's reflection on their spouse's influence and their own efforts to counteract it by presenting an alternative, feminine view of the divine.
Opinions
- The author believes that religion is deeply intertwined with many of the world's problems, including war and abuse of power.
- They criticize the traditional patriarchal portrayal of God and suggest that this portrayal perpetuates prejudice and male dominance.
- The author suspects that the child's father, despite not being religious himself, uses the concept of God to impart his own values and sense of dominance onto their son.
- By stating "God is a woman," the author attempts to subvert the conventional image of God and offer a different perspective on the divine.
- The author implies that the father's influence on the child is problematic and that they are actively trying to balance this influence with their own teachings.
